The Parsons Design Lab at The New School is pleased to extend invitation to graduating students to apply for a unique Fellowship opportunity commencing June 2014. In total, 5 fully compensated, Fellowship opportunities will be placed within the inaugural Parsons Ford Condé Nast Research Cluster situated within a studio environment of the University Center.

This opportunity, part of The Parsons Design Lab is made possible through partnership with Ford and Condé Nast and will provide a critical space for collaborative research, practice and presentation of a capsule collection within the domains of fashion design and technology with focus to material and process innovation. The collection will be showcased during New York Fashion Week, September 2014.Submissions will be accepted through Friday May 23rd followed by interviews.

Applications are to be submitted to fashionexternalprojects@newschool.edu

Queries can be directed to Research Cluster Studio Faculty: Greg Climer, climerg@newschool.edu Sara Kozlowski, kozlowss@newschool.edu Yvonne Watson, watsony@newschool.edu School of Fashion.

Ford + Condé Nast Parsons Design Lab Fellowship Opportunity

Summer 2014 (June – End August 2014)

The Parsons Design Lab at The New School is a locus of intense and combustive creativity that connects corporate partners to practice and research at the cutting edge of design and social science. The Parsons Design Lab (PDL) as a platform will engage its faculty, fellows, and partners in key inquiry and innovation towards designed products, services, and systems. Launching in Summer 2014, the inaugural Parsons Ford Condé Nast Research Cluster will form an ecosystem of Research Fellows, Faculty, and visiting professional Mentors.

A total of five (5) fully compensated Fellowship Opportunities will be offered to Parsons graduating students.  The Research Cluster will be situated at Parsons within the University Center for duration of 12 weeks commencing June  2014. It is with great honor that we extend this invitation to apply for this unprecedented opportunity.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday May 23rd

CONTEXT + INQUIRY 

First introduced in “1964 ½,” Ford’s iconic Mustang has indelibly carried hallmarks of American style and innovation. As 2014 marks the 50^th anniversary of the Mustang’s enduring legacy, a global future landscape awaits. The Parsons Ford Condé Nast Research Cluster will collaboratively further its legacy by researching fashion, technology, and craft systems with emphasis to material and process invention culminating in a collection to be presented during New York Fashion Week, September, 2014.

The evolution and timelessness of Mustang’s design and technology keeps this classic vehicle at the forefront of the automotive market. In the same way material innovation and research has, historically, led to innovation in the fashion industry. Bringing Ford’s leadership and innovation in materials research together with Parsons leadership in fashion and technology will result in design innovation that will transform, disrupt, and promote new fashion codes.

By framing our narrative at the intersection of craft and technology, as already explored by designers such as Ying Gao, Lucy Orta, Alabama Chanin, and researchers such as Kate Fletcher, the Parsons Ford Condé Nast Research Cluster will be reinventing what technology means to fashion. Learning from the successes and mistakes of the past, in the form of unsustainable models such as fast fashion, and the value of legacy with classic design, such as the Ford Mustang, we converge at a place where craft, technology, transience, and legacy meet. This place, where the precedents converge, will be the start of the Parsons Ford Condé Nast Mustang project.

The Parsons Ford Condé Nast Research Cluster will aim to create new design principles, methodologies, and industry approaches in context of the following question:  How can Mustang’s legacy of design, craftsmanship and technological innovation inspire and provoke future fashion materials, processes, and forms? 

The Parsons Ford Condé Nast Research Cluster will intensively explore such possibilities within a third space between education and industry. PFCN Research Fellows will collaboratively develop and produce cutting edge, collection based outcomes at the intersection of craft, technology, transience, and legacy. After an intense, immersive experience with engineers and designers of Ford, the team will research past innovations and transform the technology of Ford into a fashion context. They will contribute to the creation and presentation of a meaningful collection showcased during New York Fashion Week, September 2014.

Outcomes:

●      The primary outcome is the creation of a capsule collection intended for presentation during New York Fashion Week in September, evidencing applied research findings.

●      The collection is encouraged to weight emphasis to process, form, and material innovation demonstrated through textile, construction, technique, and methodology inventions

●      All design outcomes are encouraged to holistically consider environmental, social, and economic system perspectives

Support Deliverables:

• In Depth Volume of Research Insights/ Findings (from Primary and Secondary Research)

• Diagnostic Materials and Process Journal documenting inventions + methods

• Resource Journal

• Life cycle/ Sustainable Impact Analysis of Design Outcomes

• Image-Making/  Presentation of Design Outcomes

Research Cluster Projected Timeline

May 15^th – May 26^th   Call for Interest/ The Parsons Design Lab (PDL) Fellowship Submissions; Application Period

May 23^rd  (Friday)   PDL Fellowship Application Deadline 5 pm (fashionexternalprojects@newschool.edu)

May 27^th  – May 29^th          Finalist Notification; Interviews; Candidate Selection

May 29^th  – May 30^th          Candidate Finalization, Notification and Offer Extension

June 2^nd                            Announcement of Five (5) PDL Ford + Condé Nast Research Fellows

June 4^nd –  June 13^th         2 Day Design and Materials Research Excursion to Ford Motors/ Detroit; Parsons Design Lab (PDL Leadership, Research Cluster Fellows and Faculty)

June 15^th                           PDL Opening; Research Cluster Fellows and Studio Work Commences

June – August                   PDL Research and Outcome Creation; Duration: 12 Weeks

August 25^th –  29^th            Research Conclusion

Sept 4^th – Sept 12^th           NYFW and Ford + Condé Nast Parsons Design Lab Presentation and Event

Eligibility and Criteria:

●      Graduating students are invited to apply from The Schools of Fashion, Art Media and Technology, Design Strategies, and Art and Design History with emphasis to Fashion Design and support interest in wearable technology, U/X, and fashion theory

●      As work will take place in New York during Summer (June – August) participants will need to be local with proximity to Parsons during Summer

●      Prospective Fellows must be capable to provide significant dedication to studio research and practice consistently throughout the 12 Week project duration

●      International alumni are requested to pre-research individual Visa requirement concerning eligibility to receive compensation prior to applying

●      Candidates for each of the 5 Fellowship placements will be determined through holistic review of application materials, faculty endorsement, and critical alignment to the Research Cluster scope of research and potential ability to achieve collection based outcomes of the highest caliber for presentation during NYFW, September 2014

Submission Elements

Interested individuals meeting the above eligibility criteria are encouraged to prepare the following application assets for this compensated Fellowship opportunity:

●      1 Page Statement of Intent speaking to interest of the research question “How can Mustang’s legacy of design, craftsmanship and technological innovation inspire and provoke future fashion materials, processes, and forms? ” in context of the inaugural launch of The Parsons Design Lab (PDL); Interest/ Intent can be supported by sharing of research and practice goals as well as relevant course work/ external project work/ other academic experiences.

●      Portfolio A single multi page PDF file containing relevant portfolio work in low resolution inclusive of Thesis Line-sheets, Look books, Narratives, and Portfolios as well as other relevant project work evidencing interest in the areas of craft and technology from research and professional practice perspectives

●      Media (Optional) Applicants are encouraged to include media assets such as video via links

●      Bio Self Introduction (1 Page) including area of study, profile and design philosophy/identity

●      Headshot/ Photo Jpeg format

●      First/ Last Name, Program and Level of Study, Expected Graduation Date N Number

●      Contact Information: Resume/ CV, Newschool and personal email addresses, phone number

●      Confirmation of ability to engage in project development during June- August in New York

●      Faculty Nomination or Letter of Recommendation speaking to professional practice, aptitude, and potential for success  (may be submitted directly to fashionexternalprojects@newschool.edu)

Please Note: Following application review, finalists will be contacted for an Interview

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday May 23^rd 5 pm to FashionExternalProjects@newschool.edu

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